In article .com,
wrote:
They do make snap-in metal hole plugs that small, one local Lowe's has
them.

That is what I was thinking of as I read the problem. I call
them "goof plugs", but I think that the official term is "chassis
plugs".

Anything that uses heat will be sure to fry your silkscreening.
Alternatively, you could find some sort of vintage fitting to fit the
hole, an earphone jack or outside antenna terminal comes to mind. Or,
just accept that you aren't ever going to make it look like new again
and live with the extra ventilation.

The mention of ventilation reminds me that I used to see chasis
plugs with a wire mesh screen in them -- for the purpose of ventilation.
If you could find those, they might look more natural there than the
goof plugs, which are bright nickel plated.

If it were not for the need to preserve the silkscreening (or
perhaps decals, depending on when it was done), I would suggest that you
try some of the stuff sold for aluminum "welding", perhaps with an
aluminum plug to keep the amount added to a minimum. But that might
discolor with age in a different way than the aluminum, so perhaps it is
not that good an idea.

If this is in the back, where it is normally not seen, just
about any of those might work well -- as well as the suggestion of
putting connectors for headphones and such in the holes. (That may well
be what the holes were made for in the first place.

Good Luck,
DoN.
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